Hyperion Holiday
by Tif S
Summary: A/N: AU. Lucy Vidrio has always felt like something's been missing especially when it comes to the holidays. But an unexpected early Christmas gift brings her some hope, and when the author of that gift crashes into their town a month before Christmas, Lucy begins to think that maybe there's some hope after all, but can she really get what she wants most of all for Christmas?
1. Prologue

_**A/N: Hello, here with a new Holiday/Christmas story for Once Upon a Time. This idea came to me, well, kind of out of a desire to write some Glass Believer, but I wanted to put a different twist, so I decided why not combine my desire to write a Christmas story with one of my favorite pairings, and then I decided again, well I need to put a different twist to that idea so here this was born. Now there's more to it than it appears, but I'm keeping some things under wraps, pun well maybe intended maybe not. I do not own Once Upon a time, belongs to Adam and Eddy and ABC, just playing in the sandbox. All I own is my plot idea. Angst warning ahead, but I hope you enjoy this opening.**_

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**Prologue:Christmas Lights Gone Dim**

**December 1: Two years ago.**

The house was ablaze. The first thing that Quaid Sommers notices is the tree in the living room, decked out and full of presents. One of these looks clearly like a dollhouse, but it is already losing its structure: a little girl, probably not much older than his neighbor's little girl, but still young enough that it would be magic when she unwrapped it. A neighbor had called the fire department saying Lauren and Abigail Mills were inside, and to please save them. Mr. Mills had been called into work, and it was just a few weeks till Christmas. He and his team had gone as soon as they could, and they had never seen a blaze so tall, but holiday spirits and all, they just had to put this out. They just had to.

And they did. They did, but it was already too late.

"Call time of death…"

Quaid feels like he is hearing from underwater.

"What's going on?! What happened?" Mr. Mills comes home just in time to see the hordes of fire trucks and the ambulance and the whole team of firefighters and EMTs, but due to the crowd, he cannot see the stretchers or the blankets covering the two forms, his wife and baby girl. "Where's Abbi, Lauren?!" He cranes his neck, and then finally, he sees, and his legs begin to shake.

"Sir," Quaid steps over to the man, seeing the realization dawn before anyone can explain. "Mr. Mills, I'm so sorry. We did everything we could."

The man's collapse to the ground could be blamed on ice coating the path, but Quaid knew better. He broke his own professional code when he crouched down and pulled the man into an embrace.

Lauren Mills had passed away at just 30 years old. Little Abbi Mills had been just seven. The cause of the blaze? Faulty wiring on Christmas lights. Its effect? Felt by every single person on the scene that day, but for no one more deeply than Henry Mills.

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_**A/N: So there's the prologue. Next, we jump forward in time. **_


	2. Chapter 1 Bleak Friday

_**A/N: Hi, well this story is writing itself. Haha. The first official chapter is ready. As usual, I own nothing but my plot idea and OCs.**_

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**Chapter One: Bleak Friday**

"Lucy, hey Lucy! You wanna come with us to the mall?" It was the last day of school before the Thanksgiving Holiday, and all of the kids in Lucy's class were planning to do Christmas shopping for their friends and family, the leader of which was Ashley Hughes. "I'm sure your grandma will give you money to buy something for your mom."

Lucy felt as though she'd been slapped. Sure,her grandmother and aunt were rich, while her mother was lucky to keep a job. But did she have to broadcast it in front of the fifth grade pick up line? Grandma Belfry owned a lot of businesses, but to say it in front of everybody like that. Well, that sure was mean.

"No thanks." Lucy managed to keep her voice level, and to keep the tears out of it. "I've got plans." She forced a smile.

"Oh that's right," Ashley said. "It's your mom's weekend right?"

There it was again, and this time Lucy had to turn away.

"Miss Hughes, is there a problem?"

Lucy flinched as she heard one of the teachers that were supervising pickup, her favorite teacher, Ms. Davis. Her eyes burned and she adjusted her backpack.

"Not at all Ms. Davis." Ashley said.

"Well then, go on. I think I just saw your father pull up." Ms. Davis gave the girl a pointed look.

"Happy Thanksgiving Lucy!" Ashley said as she passed, having the nerve to give Lucy a hug. Her skin crawled.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Lucy said returning the hug, _barely_, unable to keep the disdain disguised very well.

After what seemed like forever, Ashley finally broke the hug and left. That was the longest hug for a teacher's benefit, Lucy thought, any bully in the entire fifth grade had to have given.

"Lucy," Ms. Davis pulled Lucy from the line and pulled her aside close to the entrance where her classmates weren't. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine Ms. Davis,"

"Now, see, I know you're not. That Ashley's a piece of work isn't she?"

Lucy's eyes widened.

"Relax, I'm a teacher, we have a list." Ms. Davis said, her hazel eyes lit up in mischief.

"A list?" Lucy said.

"Yup,"

"For what?"

"The less you know the better."

Lucy blinked looking at her teacher in shock.

"Kidding. Kidding." Ms. Davis said. "Sorry bad joke."

Lucy shook her head. "A little bit." But honestly, she wouldn't mind if it _was _something awful. She sniffled.

"Oh Lucy, sweetheart...let's come inside huh?"

"Won't you get in trouble?"

"I can handle principal Weaver." She replied. "Now come on."

Lucy hadn't been talking about the principal, but let it go, too upset and embarrassed to truly protest leaving the pickup area.

* * *

"Hey, look over here Mikey, look at Mummy and Ruff Ruff!" The woman waved her hand with the toy high in the air. Honestly, Henry didn't understand why she didn't just give the boy his toy dog and be done with it. _Aesthetic be damned lady, your kid's been screaming murder since you dragged him here. Whose bright idea was it even to have Santa photos in this place before Thanksgiving? _He thought to himself. But he continued to adjust the camera and the lighting mumming his words for the time being, these tights and the ridiculous hat he was in, nearly enough to keep him civil along with his boss' last warning. _You're a happy happy elf Mr. Mills act like it or you're paycheck will be sad sad. _

"Oh, ho ho ho, Mikey, can you look at your Mama and give a big smile?" The shopping mall Santa, his coworker, Jeb, seemed he needed the happy happy sad sad speech more than Henry himself, as he bounced the boy on his knee, his ho ho hos sounded more in tone like go to hells. "Jeez kid, please!"

Henry had had enough. He grabbed a candy cane from the basket and went over to "Santa's" throne receiving a few incredulous looks from his fellow elves. "Hey ya Mikey," He said gently, unwrapping the candy cane as he crouched down on the step. "How you doing buddy?"

"Ruff, Ruff…" The boy sniffled reaching his hand out for the candy.

"Ruff, Ruff's right over there with your Mama," Henry said. He gave the boy the candy cane and smiled gently as the boy licked it and then promptly stuck it in his mouth.. He looked over to where the mother stood. "Say, Mom," He looked over. "Why don't you come over here and you guys can take the picture together. Santa wouldn't mind, would you?"

The boy beamed.

Jeb sighed and moved his hand in a come here motion.

The mother came over. Henry noticed a dark look come his way as the mother ascended the steps. She then promptly yanked the candy cane out of Mikey's mouth and hand replacing it with the stuffed dog. "No sugar Mikey you know that." The mother then placed the sticky candy in Henry's hand shooing him away.

Henry sighed going back to his position behind the camera wiping the stickiness with a napkin from a stack near the bowl of candy canes and taking the photo. A smiling photo that concealed the total snobbishness of the mother's real attitude printed from the Polaroid.

Shift change happened after much too long a time, but before Henry could leave the area, the manager of the store came over. As Henry looked back towards the kids on Jeb's lap, he could swear he heard the man's ho ho ho's sound more genuinely jolly than he ever had heard them since he got the gig, and he could swear the man was looking at him out of the corner of his eye as his tone changed. _Happy Thanksgiving and Merry freaking Christmas to you too_ Santa.

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_**A/N: So both Lucy and Henry are having a rough time of it. Fun fact: I was actually inspired to have Henry work with department store Santa so early on just purely based on how early Thanksgiving seems to be forgotten in favor of Christmas/Holidays sometimes. I have no idea if department store Santas actually set up so early very often as I have personally never been to one before December. Maybe, maybe not. But for the sake of the story, this particular store does.**_


	3. Chapter 2 Pickups and Put Downs

_**A/N: Hi, here with chapter two. As usual I own nothing but my plot and OCs. This was a fun one. I hope you enjoy. **_

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**Chapter Two: Pickups and Put Downs**

Jacinda looked at the clock and sighed.

"_Hey Lady, I ordered a large cluck bucket, you gave me a medium soda." _

"I'm so sorry Sir," Jacinda said. "I'll get you the correct size."

"_Don't bother, apparently it takes you all at least an hour to get any orders around here. I thought this was a fast food restaurant." _

Jacinda winced as she heard the squeal of the tires on the pavement through the headphones. "Damn it!" She huffed pulling the headphones roughly from her head and throwing them down. "I'm late."

"J," Sabine went over to her friend. "It's 3:40, what are you still doing here?"

"Louie," Jacinda said, but it came out a sigh. "No one wanted to work the window during the after school rush. He stuck me here. If I ask to leave, he'll probably kill me. I was already late this morning because the door to the bathroom got stuck again."

"That's logic for you." Sabine held out her hand. "Give it here J. Go get Luce."

Jacinda hesitated.

"_Girl_ what are you waiting for?" Sabine saw the man heading out from the kitchen. "Get outta here."

Jacinda took the headphones and clapped them into Sabine's hand. "Thank you, thank you."

"J, so help me, if you don't get a move on, I will kick your ass myself."

"Thank you,I owe you one." Jacinda threw over her shoulder as she ran.

"More than that," Sabine gave a fond smile as she turned back to the window.

* * *

_You're done. _Henry heard the manager's nasal tone playing back in his head, an echo chamber as he drove home. It turned out that little Mikey's mother was Kaitlin Madsen the CEO's daughter, and had taken it as a personal attack that Henry would dare to try to comfort her son with sugar.

_Oh the horror, a candy cane in the Christmas season. Call the cops. _

Henry would be pissed. He would if he had the energy, but the truth of the matter was, he knew this was coming. Trent had had it out for him since day one, and Jeb, it seemed even before that considering they lived in the same apartment building.

As he passed the department store, he looked at the Swyft sticker. Well, he'd just have to take some extra rides. Maybe the mediocre reviews wouldn't matter. He heard a ding on his phone, and glanced down. _Speak of the devil. _

He drove to the location, and had to bite back a sigh as he saw his passenger come to the window wrapped in a knee length red coat, curls haphazard.

"Well would ya look at that? You've still got your touch Mills." She smiled as she pulled the door open and went inside.

He looked through the rearview. "Hey Tilly, you know you don't have to order a ride right?"

"Yeah," Tilly said. "Course."

Henry raised an eyebrow as he pulled out. "So…?"

"Thought you could use the company." Tilly said simply. "Seems like one of those days." She looked out the window. "Gloomy,"

Henry peeked out the window to see the last of the fall sunshine. "Sure, if you say so."

"I'm not wrong though." Tilly said. "You got something bothering you."

"What gave it away?"

Tilly reached over and flicked the bell on Henry's cap. "You're frowning in that hat."

Henry pulled the cap off quickly throwing it into the seat next to him. "Not much in the spirit."

"A Madsen's elf not in the spirit?"

"Former." Henry corrected.

"Oooh," Tilly frowned. "I'm sorry."

"It's been coming for a while." Henry said. "Guy hates me."

"That's not possible." Tilly said. "You're not hateable Mills. That's like hating a puppy in booties."

"Thanks, I guess…" Henry shook his head at the image. But that was Tilly. "But the boss and Santa would kick that puppy into traffic."

Tilly winced. "That's horrible."

"Even Scrooges cash out on Christmas." Henry pulled up to their apartment building.

"Thanks for the lift. Five stars," Tilly grinned. She turned to Henry as he got out of the car grabbing his phone and the elf cap and locking his car. "Oh, I started unpacking, but I must have unpacked the wrong boxes," Tilly said. "It's...a bit of a mess really. But they're unpacked for you."

Henry looked to Tilly, afraid to even ask which boxes. He'd find out soon enough.

* * *

Jacinda got to the school only to see her stepmother's car out front. _Oh hell. I didn't make it. _

She went to the pickup line, but didn't see Lucy.

"Ms. Vidrio," A boy came over. Jacinda recognized him as one of Lucy's friends. "Lucy's in the office with Ms. Davis."

"Thank you,"

"Nathan," The boy smiled.

"Right, Nathan, thank you." Jacinda went in the school building and went in the direction of the office.

Just as she suspected, her stepmother was already there.

"Mom!" Lucy saw Jacinda and her face lit up as she ran over.

Jacinda hugged her daughter, but her eyes remained trained on her stepmother.

"You're aware pickup is at 3:30?" Victoria spoke. "I'm sure I don't have to remind you why it's important you're on time."

"Yes I know, it's just work…"

"I'll be taking Lucille this weekend." Victoria said. "You're welcome to come by for Thanksgiving dinner of course."

Lucy's eyes widened as she looked between her mother and her grandmother. "No...I...I'm supposed to go with mom…"

"Victoria, please," Jacinda held Lucy close.

Ms. Davis watched the exchange, frowning. "Ms. Belfry, there was an extenuating circumstance, surely…"

The woman looked to the teacher. "Did I ask for your opinion Ms. Davis?"

"Well no, but…"

"Then don't offer it."

"Excuse me?" Ms. Davis frowned.

"You're excused Dear." Victoria looked to Lucy. "Come along Lucy."

Lucy shook her head. "My stuff is at Mom's." She'd left what she was going to do for Thanksgiving at home. She would never call her grandmother's house home.

"You have an hour. I expect Lucy to be dropped off at home by then." Victoria conceded.

"Yes, of course." Jacinda said. "Thank you."

Victoria sniffed but left the office.

"Have a happy Thanksgiving Lucy," Ms. Davis said. She wasn't sure how happy it could be for the poor girl, but she would wish it regardless. "Jacinda,"

"Thank you." Jacinda said.

"Thanks Ms. Davis." Lucy replied.

Mother and daughter left the school office to enjoy the time they had together.

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_**A/N: So that happened. Next chapter: Henry finds out just what it is that Tilly unpacked, and more. **_


	4. Chapter3It Started With Once Upon a Time

_**A/N: Chapter three is ready, longest chapter yet. But I think this is the perfect ending point so it was worth it. As usual, own nothing but my plot and OCs**_

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**Chapter Three: It Started with Once Upon a Time**

Lucy went with her mother to the small apartment they shared with Sabine.

"Good afternoon Jacinda, good afternoon Lucy."

Lucy looked over to see their neighbor, Chief Sommers. She smiled in spite of herself.

Jacinda nodded in the man's direction. "Hello Quaid. I'll go get your overnight bag Luce." She knew Lucy liked to talk to the fire chief.

"Okay Mom," Lucy turned her attention back to the Chief. "Are you staying home this weekend Chief?"

"Oh I don't really know yet Lucy," Quaid replied. It all depended on if there was a call.

"Are you visiting family?"

"Yeah, I am." He traveled around making rounds, spending most of his time at the firehouse but also hitting the spots in town. He considered them all family, so the answer was technically yes. He didn't really have much in the way of family to visit.

"That's cool," Lucy tried not to let her disappointment with the afternoon's announcement from her grandmother show.

"Hey, why the long face?" Quaid asked.

"I was supposed to do Thanksgiving with Mom this year, but Grandma says I have to stay with her."

Quaid had heard tell of Lucy Vidrio's situation, and he knew all about Victoria Belfry. Couldn't stomach the woman, but it's not like he could do much. If he ever did, funding to the fire department could suddenly run dry. The same could be said for 95% of the town. So he always tried to give Lucy a nice time in his own way. It was the neighborly thing to do. "Say, I think I'd got something you can investigate for me."

Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"You're in Nicki Davis' class aren't you?"

Lucy nodded. "Yup."

"Well, Nicki gave me this book, wanted an opinion on if she should teach it next year. And for some reason, she gave me two copies. No one down at the fire station is really going to be able to give Nicki an honest take. Between you and me, they fall asleep reading the cereal box. And I need a second opinion, you interested?"

"What kind of book is it?" Lucy asked.

"You've got some time right? Come on in, I'll show you." Quaid smiled opening his door.

Lucy smiled. "Okay,"

Jacinda had gotten Lucy's overnight bag ready quickly, but upon overhearing the conversation, and seeing Lucy's excitement decided to hold off. Her stepmother could wait the full hour. It wouldn't kill her.

* * *

The apartment Henry shared with Tilly wasn't entirely huge, even for a two bedroom, but with the mess of boxes seemed even smaller and more claustrophobic. Henry frowned. He didn't remember the girl bringing this much with her. "When you said you unpacked the wrong boxes, how many did you unpack _exactly?_"

"Two, or was it four?" Tilly frowned herself. "Either way, I figured you wanted this stuff out, it was only collecting dust anyway, what's the use of having stuff if you're not going to use it?" Tilly went over to the couch and picked up two objects that made Henry's blood run cold.

"Henry Mills," She looked at him sternly raising the object in her right hand. "Now why would you pack this away? It's brilliant you know."

Henry studied the objects Tilly held in each of her hands, trying really hard to keep his composure. The first was a doll, brownish red yarn for hair, and a dress he distinctly remembered being sewn together from an old tablecloth as Abbi had wanted to try clothing design, and with Lauren's help had managed just so. The second was a manuscript, one copy of two different copies. One copy had been sent to the publisher, and published, but this copy. This was the copy that he'd kept, was going to present on Christmas morning along with the secret that he'd kept close to his chest for just the right moment. Until that moment went up in smoke.

"It's just a doll." Henry replied dully crossing the room and taking it from her hand. "And it was in the donation box for a reason." He then went back to where the empty box sat and proceeded to repack it.

"Henry…" Tilly could hear a switch in Henry's tone. "Can we talk about this?"

"You went through my things Tilly. You can figure it out."

Tilly was versed enough in hard times to know tears when she heard them even when held back and disguised with disgust, _especially_ when disguised with disgust, and she had peeked at the manuscript, had actually read much of it. Working at the slowest shop in the city had some advantages. She remembered the inscription. "Lauren and Abigail, these things were theirs weren't they? Your family's?"

Henry took a breath. "What's left of it."

"And the book?"

"Was actually published." Henry said.

"Henry, that's brilliant! Where can I get a copy?" Tilly exclaimed. "But why was it in the donation box? Why is any of this?" She frowned. Tilly would think that Henry would want to keep his wife and daughter's things, especially knowing they had passed away, that he would want to keep his first manuscript...the manuscript that had been published.

"Probably in a clearance bin or a used bookstore. And I don't exactly need toys or china sets anymore Tilly," Henry said as he continued to pack, holding back tears. "They're just taking up space."

"Henry, you don't have to. There's no time clock…"

"Maybe you should put your psych degree to use on someone who's asking for it." Henry turned and replied, a bit sharper than intended.

Tilly's face fell, an expression that was foreign to him. "Fine then. Oh, and in case you're interested, Hyperion Heights is holding a donation drive. I'm sure they'll take _this_ off your hands." She set the manuscript down with a thump before turning on her heel and going to her bedroom, slamming the door.

* * *

Lucy looked at the book in disbelief flipping a few pages as she let it fall closed. "Fairy tales?"

Quaid nodded. "Nicki says they're a different sort of fairy tale though." He went to his kitchen. "Would you like anything to drink?"

Lucy sat on the couch, studying the book on the coffee table: _Once Upon a Time,_ as she flipped it open. "We read fairytales when we were six," But she couldn't help as she looked through, being captivated. This seemed really cool. "Chocolate milk please."

"What you don't like fairytales?" Quaid looked through his fridge and pulled the small bottle out twisting the cap to loosen it before he brought it over.

"No, I love them," Lucy said. "It's just…"

"Just?"

"Doesn't feel right." Lucy sighed. "Everything's so awful, why should I waste time reading fairytales when stuff sucks?"

"You know something Lu, I think that's when you should waste the most time." Quaid placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Tell you what? Take it with you. I've got that second copy. This one's yours. Read as much as you can, even when your Grandma's trying to bore you, _especially_ if she's trying to bore you. then we'll talk next week see if I'm wrong or right. If you hate it, I'll take it back. We won't have to talk about it ever again."

"That seems a bit extreme since you're reading it too," Lucy said, but she was smiling.

There was a knock on the door.

Quaid got up and answered the door to see Jacinda. "Hey,"

"Hi," Jacinda replied. "Luce, are you ready?"

"Yep," Lucy took the bottle of chocolate milk and the book. "Thanks Chief Sommers, have a Happy Thanksgiving."

"You too Lucy,"

After the Vidrio's left, Quaid went closed the door. He went to his room and grabbed his copy of the book he had just given Lucy. He flipped it over, and studied the photo on the back inside cover. He had only told half the truth to Lucy. The truth was, it had nothing to do with Nicole Davis, not in the way he had said. He had actually been the one to suggest the book to Nicole for her class, just like he was suggesting it to Lucy. There was something about the stories, and not just because he recognized the man who had written them. He hadn't forgotten any of the details of that evening two years ago, and he hadn't forgotten the man whose photo looked back at him. These stories, there was something special about them, and he had the strangest feeling that Lucy needed them as much as that man, Henry Mills, had needed to write them.

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_**A/N: So, the book has entered the picture. Fun fact: That scene with Tilly confronting Henry was actually the second scene that came to me for this story, close to fully formed, though I was not sure whether it would be Tilly or someone else until a full day later.**_


	5. Chapter 4 Best Laid Plans

_**A/N: Hello, well now that exams are finished, I have some more writing time. These holiday stories may extend past the holidays but that might not be a bad thing right? This chapter is a little bit of a setup for what comes next, but it was important to get this out of the way. I hope you enjoy it.**_

_**There is a bit of dialogue taken from the very very beginning of the show, not mine. Belongs to Adam Eddy, ABC and the writers of One Upon a Time, just borrowing it. See if you can spot it. :)**_

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**Chapter Four: Best Made Plans**

The drive to the Belfry condo was much much too quick for Lucy's taste, and when she saw her aunt was waiting out front for her, her frown deepened. She looked to her mom. "Do you really have to go Mom?"

"Oh Luce," Jacinda placed her hands on Lucy's shoulders. "I promise, I'll be here so we can watch Santa on the parade." She held out a pinky.

Lucy nodded. "Okay," Lucy hooked her mom's pinky. She then gave her mom a hug and grabbed her backpack. She hopped out of the car and walked to the condo, turning back one last time to wave.

"Lucy, come inside. It's freezing out here and I am not dressed for this." Ivy pulled Lucy inside quickly without so much as a nod in her stepsister's direction.

Jacinda pulled away, not letting her frown show until she was away from her stepmother's home. She called Sabine.

"_Hey girls, how goes it?"_

"Just me Sabine," Jacinda replied. "Victoria beat me and then said she was taking Luce for Thanksgiving."

"_That witch," _Sabine said. "_Jacinda, you okay?" _

"Yeah," Jacinda said holding back her tears. She was used to it. seemed no matter how hard she worked or what she did, she would never be the mother Lucy needed in her stepmother's eyes.

"_Come for drinks with me." _Sabine said.

"But, the shift…" Jacinda said. "I've got to go back." If she didn't make her part of the rent, it would just give Victoria more ammunition.

"_Screw that, I'll cover it. Belfry may own the building, but you're my best friend. What she doesn't know, she can choke on. It's the holidays and you're having a crappy start, you don't need to smell Louie's fish breath. Meet me at Roni's, no arguments." _

Before Jacinda could reply, Sabine had hung up. She shook her head and made the drive to Roni's.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't my least favorite elf," Henry was taking some boxes out to the car when he heard the last voice he wanted to hear, Jeb's.

"Hello Santa," Henry turned and forced a smile as he saw his neighbor, still in the Santa suit sans beard. _Destroying the magic, of course._. "Make any other kids cry lately?"

"It's Christmas, why would I do that?" Jeb asked.

_The kids can smell it a mile away that you're the least jolliest Santa on the circuit? _Henry thought to himself. He placed his boxes down and opened his trunk. "Why are you still doing the Santa thing Jeb?" He asked looking at the man seriously.

"It pays the bills," Jeb said.

_55 out of 365 days. _Henry shook his head. He didn't know why he was expecting a different answer. "Happy Thanksgiving Jeb,"

"Yeah, yeah," Jeb scoffed.

Henry shook his head as he packed the last of the boxes in the trunk. He then pulled out his phone and sent a text to Tilly. _I'm sorry. I was a jerk. Look I know you're at work...or something... but I'm going to be leaving for Hyperion Heights tonight. Can we talk before then? You still have your key? Just...let yourself in. _

He sent the text with a sigh. Tilly had left at some point, out the window and down the fire escape he supposed since he hadn't heard the door or seen her come out. He was worried about his friend. He moved his boxes to one side, closed the trunk, and then checked his phone, knowing he had a few pickups for Swyft. He then went to get in on the driver's side and left.

* * *

Lucy was bored. Ivy had left, despite her grandmother's warning to do no such thing, and her grandmother had taken a business call. _Surprise, surprise. _She looked to her backpack, the book sticking out. A bit of escapism couldn't hurt. She pulled it out, and opened it up reading softly to herself. " _Once upon a time, there was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know. Or think we know. One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all of their happy endings were stolen...our world…. _

_It had been 28 years. Only two people knew the truth, and only one wanted the curse broken. And he had to get someone to believe him, his birth mom... the Savior. Ten year old Henry Mills knew he was going to be in a lot of trouble, but he didn't care. He had to find Emma Swan…."_

Lucy stayed in her bedroom at her grandmother's house reading the book, her boredom soon forgotten as she read about the town of Storybrooke. These were some really really different fairy tales. Chief Sommers had been right about that.

"LUCY!"

Lucy jumped as she heard her grandmother, shutting the book quickly and shoving it under her pillow.

"Coming!"

* * *

_**A/N: So Lucy is now at her grandmother's, Jacinda's having a rough time and Sabine offered to have a girl's night with her at Roni's. Henry and Tilly are still not on speaking terms, and Tilly has disappeared. But Henry is trying to make amends, while taking Swyft passengers and is planning to go to Hyperion Heights that night. Lucy has begun to read the book and is enjoying it. **_


End file.
